Professor
Diogo Freitas do Amaral, who was elected this afternoon as President of the
fiftieth regular session of the General Assembly, has served as a professor
of law at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, since 1970.

The new Assembly President
was actively involved in Portuguese politics from 1974 to 1986. A presidential
candidate in the 1986 Portuguese election, he lost to the current President,
Mario Soares, while obtaining 48.8 per cent of the national vote.

From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Freitas
do Amaral was Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Portugal and was
Interim Prime Minister, December 1980 to January 1981. He also served as Vice-Prime
Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1981.

From 1982 to 1983, Mr. Freitas
do Amaral was President of the European Union of Christian Democrats. He had
founded the Portuguese Christian Democratic Party in 1974 and was its President
until 1982. In 1988, he was again elected President of the Party and held that
position until 1991.

Mr., Freitas do Amaral was
also a Member of the Portuguese Parliament, representing the constituency of
Lisbon from 1975 to 1983 and again from 1992 to 1993. From May 1974 to March
1975 he was a member of the Council of State.

Mr. Freitas do Amaral received
his law degree from the University of Lisbon in 1963, and in 1967, obtained
a Ph.D. in public law, including international law. In 1961-1962, he was president
of the General Assembly of the Student Association of the law faculty.

During his tenure as a professor
of law at the University of Lisbon, he was elected president of the Scientific
Committee of the faculty on five different occasions. Mr. Freitas do Amaral
has published numerous books and articles on public law, political science and
the history of political thought.

Mr. Freitas do Amaral was
born on 21 July 1941 in Povoa do Varzim, a small. town in the north of Portugal.
He is married and has four children.